The Disabilities Minister has told the AsIAm autism charity that as many as 400 families may have had dossiers compiled on them by the Department of Health. Elaborating on that exchange, Ms Ferris told the Irish Examiner the figure may be lower than 400 but added: "What was really being communicated here is that they are unsure how broadly this will go." Ms Ferris said organisations also want assurances that the same practice of compiling dossiers on families has been discontinued, and when. In the Dáil, the Taoiseach said the Department of Health did not compile dossiers on children with autism and their families while he was minister for health. "There wasn't a practice when I was a minister either to go out and authorise the collection of data," he said.

Source: Irish Examiner April 01, 2021 05:31 UTC